1861 Liberty Head Double Eagle Value
Depending on how well it survived, a 1861 Liberty Head Double Eagle brings anywhere from $3,306 to $32,411, and its metal content alone is worth $3,241 as of 2026-06-01 Exceptional, certified pieces regularly exceed the top of that range.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
1861 Liberty Head Double Eagle value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $3,241.13 |
| Good (G-4) | $3,306 to $4,376 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $3,306 to $4,538 |
| Fine (F-12) | $3,306 to $4,781 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $3,526 to $5,186 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $3,995 to $5,875 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $4,821 to $7,090 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $6,061 to $8,913 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $8,265 to $12,154 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $22,040 to $32,411 |
Estimated retail range, updated 2026-06-15. Estimates are modeled from mintage rarity and metal content, not auction records. Actual sale prices vary with certification, eye appeal and market timing.
What is a 1861 Liberty Head Double Eagle worth right now?
At the entry level, well-worn examples bring about $3,306. The same coin in gem uncirculated condition is a $32,411 coin. Grade is everything: two examples of the 1861 Liberty Head Double Eagle can differ in price by an order of magnitude based purely on preservation.
1861 Liberty Head Double Eagle specifications
- Series
- Liberty Head Double Eagle
- Year
- 1861
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- 90% gold, 10% copper
- Weight
- 33.436 g
- Diameter
- 34 mm
- Edge
- Reeded
- Designer
- James Barton Longacre
- Gold content
- 0.96750 troy oz
Reading a coin with no mint mark
The 1861 Liberty Head Double Eagle was struck at the Philadelphia Mint, which used no mint mark in this era. If you find no letter where branch-mint coins carry one (On the reverse, below the eagle), you are holding a Philadelphia issue.
What makes the 1861 Liberty Head Double Eagle valuable
The 1861 Liberty Head Double Eagle lacks precise production records, so its value rests on demonstrated rarity: how often examples surface at auction and how they compare to documented specimens.
At 0.9675 troy ounces of gold, $3,241 at spot, the intrinsic value of a 1861 Liberty Head Double Eagle is substantial, and every move in the gold market flows straight into its price.
Context adds the final layer to the 1861 Liberty Head Double Eagle. James Longacre's Liberty Head design served from 1850 to 1907 across three subtypes. Owning this date means owning a piece of that story, and demand for the series as a whole sustains liquidity for every issue in it.
1861 Liberty Head Double Eagle inscriptions & design
Obverse
************* 1861
bust l.
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / TWENTY D.
eagle facing, head l., rays and stars above
Measured 1861 Liberty Head Double Eagle specimens
3 physically measured 1861 Liberty Head Double Eagle examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 33.436 g, 34 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1861 Liberty Head Double Eagle #1 | 33.462 g | 34 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.169, Breen.7207 |
| 1861 Liberty Head Double Eagle #2 | 33.4 g | - | - | Breen.7205, Friedberg.USA.173 |
| 1861 Liberty Head Double Eagle #3 | 33.415 g | 34 mm | - | Friedberg.USA.169, Breen.7207 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1861 Liberty Head Double Eagle is valued between $3,306 and $32,411 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.